Characters:
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[] I do like the new aesthetic with Garuda and Kairi, while Hokuto is just fine with or without the bangs.
[] Arika should have kept the SFEX Kairi’s Tatsumaki, like the many would comment in the video stream.
[*] They should present sometime Skullomania, Nanase, Geist, Blair, Allen and Rosso along with notable Fighting Layer characters sometime.
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Gameplay mechanics:

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[] Arika should avoid adding custom combo/excel mechanics in the game that some other guys would suggest and recommend in the video stream.
[] The sidestep was a nice thing but it kinda kill the purpose of projectiles and zoning because it was the common problem with alot of 3d fighters that has a character that is designed to be a 2d fighter but in a 3d plane somewhat like KOFMI, Toshiden(yes) and a lot of 3d fighter with projectile in the past(90s). I’m not against it. It is welcome to me since SF4 dev, but only if it is properly implemented as a gameplay mechanic to be explored for 2d plane fighters. A sidestep mechanic should never like act a dodge mechanic in common 3d plane fighters…

[] The sidestep should have a delay that makes you pause in a vulnerable stance/slow movement pace(very few frames) that can be punished and be also rewarding for successful reads when to sidestep or not to sidestep, something like a wise game mechanic for the right decision that is need to be perform with precision* not just simple guesses and timing without consequences.
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Stages:

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[] The stages were amazing to be a remixed and inspired from SF2’s Ryu and Cammy.
[] I like the Cammy like remixed stage that whole plane of the stage is more long rectangle and not to be an equal square or another widespace like those Tekken and DOA, this makes the gameplay of the stage to be unique, kept the zonning dynamic in the plane that every sidestep needs to be strategically work around in every area when trying to move in a different plane, because it’s not just another decision for evasion and reset of situation to another wide open space like those generic 3d fighter.
[]Stages should have a uniformed similar field like many prominent fighters unlike Smash, Injustice, MK and Powerstone. They should make every stages like the Cammy remixed that is a long rectangle field.
[] Some of the video stream commentators suggesting to add stage transition like those in Tekken and DOA, Which I believe Arika should avoid so that their game won’t be just another wannabe.
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Arika can standout in the market today by introducing a different brand of sub genre to fighting games, if they avoid trying to be another 3d fighters or another 2d fighters by simply introducing a newer better tech and a different perspective of gameplay exclusive to brand their game, It’s like how Namco managed to reinvent Tekken franchise away from it’s usual and traditional roots of 3d fighter genre in it’s era that they were before (Tekken 1-3).

People should keep in mind this is just a demo to raise interest in the project. They lack the funds to complete it on their own, so they couldn’t present more than those three characters. Hope they do a kickstarter, there’s evidently enough interest on this and they managed to make very well done models and stages, I think it would do very well if they go that way.

Vesper just said that the official name of the game is Fighting EX Layer. Which means the game was purposely built around that game and essentially makes it a spiritual sequel to that game with EX characters.

It really doesn’t have an official name. I was at the event yesterday and the only thing confirmed was that it won’t be SFEX4. ‘Fighting EX Layer’ was said as a joke. ‘Fighting Layer EX’ and other variations including ‘plus’ and ‘alpha’ were mentioned at different points.

Anyway, I don’t think I’ve seen a translation of this uploaded anywhere yet, so…

I think fireballs will be risky in this game. There are too many ways to avoid them unless point blank/in a combo. Apart from the sidestepping, the ‘EX arrow’ super jump also arcs right over them. It’s a cool move but probably needs a meter cost or something.

It really doesn’t have an official name. I was at the event yesterday and the only thing confirmed was that it won’t be SFEX4. ‘Fighting EX Layer’ was said as a joke. ‘Fighting Layer EX’ and other variations including ‘plus’ and ‘alpha’ were mentioned at different points.

Anyway, I don’t think I’ve seen a translation of this uploaded anywhere yet, so…

Yoooooooooo Hard Attacks? This game is more Fighting Layer than I suspected in the first place. I love that they mixed in FL stuff with SFEX to make a game that feels Arika proper rather than Arika trying to do Capcom, which is what stopped me from enjoying the EX series. I hope if this project continues in some fashion that they add more Fighting Layer stuff like the running side switch grab. It looks like they added in Fighting Layer auto combos as while running moves? That’s a weird addition but I like it more than what FL did which was just mash LP (or if you were Hong mash any kick button). I do hope it leaves the door open for while running and while backdashing attacks though, those were really cool tools in FL.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that if Arika went to Kickstarter they would get a lot of support, but I really do hope development doesn’t end here for this title. If you had told me that a new SFEX style game was in the works I probably wouldn’t care, but Arika managed to evolve the gameplay in a way that makes me way more interested in it as a title and I would support it as much as I reasonably could. Every time I see footage of this game I really want to play it, everything about it looks so good. I love that the art style looks like you anime’d up Virtua Fighter a bit, all of the fonts and camera angles look so much like VF but the gameplay is straight 2D fighter with sidesteps. The mobility looks so fast and clean, pressure looks strong, and while damage isn’t the highest it looks like you get meter really fast so you can do super combos frequently to make the damage where it should be. Also the castle stage totally reminds me of one of my favorite VF stages